The Freak - S01 E40

2 months ago

The Freak - S01 E40

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 40

He was almost sheepish when he asked, "What about...?"

"Oh yeah-she'll be by his side every step of the way. You know what they say about, "behind every successful man.... Darla's studying elementary education. There's a lot more to it than you might think. She's going to be an incredible wife and an even better mother."

"Wall Street! I was hoping he'd take over my dealership. I own a very successful Buick Cadillac dealership here in Smithtown."

We spoke for another ten minutes before we heard Justin and Barbara greeting each other outside. Mr. Akers thanked me for my insights and we went to join them. We talked about our new house and Mr. Akers asked how we could afford it. Barbara laughed as I tried to explain. That was Mr. Akers' cue to find Newsday, Long Island's newspaper. He explained that he liked to bet. "Nothing serious, you understand. I use this bookie know."

"What would happen if you had a really good day and by that I do mean really good?"

"Nothing, as long as it was only one." Barbara and I laughed then I took the paper from his hands and marked my choices in pencil.

"Just don't get greedy. Bet two bucks at first and not more than ten on the exacta. Then you can take Mrs. Akers on that trip to Hawall she's wanted for years. You'll be able to afford it." A few minutes later we heard him on the phone making his bets for tomorrow at Hialeah in Florida. Barbara and stayed for dinner-delicious prime rib roast with potatoes baked in kosher salt-leaving around ten for the hour-long ride home

We returned to Somerville two days later even though classes wouldn't begin for more than a week. I had to attend a few basketball sessions-nothing formal, but still something had to do to keep myself sharp for the games in January and February. In addition to Ivy League games we also played most of the universities in the Boston Area. That meant Northeastern, Boston U., MIT, Tufts, and Boston College. Of those felt that we could easily handle all except B.C.

Of course, I had forgotten who I was playing with. Most of our players were decent-better than average-high school varsity types, but not All-County, and definitely not All-State or higher. I played my butt off every game just as I did in high school, but without the same results. For Harvard students their judgment with the ball was sometimes disastrous. Other than committing too many fouls there is nothing that ruins a game faster than turnovers. Some of my teammates acted as though the ball was contagious. They passed recklessly and fumbled too many passes out of bounds. Our records-freshman and varsity suffered greatly as a result. We lost more games during the first week back in class than I had in five years of high school. Unfortunately, my experiences in baseball followed the same pattern. I played well, but we still lost many more games than we won.

My last year of competition came while I was a grad student at Harvard Business School. Barbara and I had taken additional courses every summer, picking up almost an entire semester's work over the two summer sessions. Thus we were able to graduate in only three years. I had applied to a few outstanding business schools in addition to Harvard where I actually enrolled while I finished the final two courses for my Bachelor's degree.

Our house on the bluff in Shoreham was finished by June of our freshman year and we spent the first half of the summer furnishing it. We were rarely there with our busy times at school, but we knew it would get plenty of use once we had graduated. I never expressed any interest in playing in the NBA even though I knew that was good enough. I had something else in mind.

Mr. Akers had phoned me about a year after our initial meeting with a business proposition. His health was failing and he wanted out of the automotive business. Justin had never shown interest in anything other than Wall Street. I agreed to buy the dealership once I had graduated with my MBA but first I had to deal with a little problem Mr. Akers was having-he was sure that someone was stealing from him.

One of the final courses I'd had as an undergrad was Forensic Accounting. I'd thought at the time that it was one of the more interesting and challenging courses I'd taken. Before taking full control of the business I had to do a little research and the only time I could do that was on Sunday when the dealership was closed. Barbara and I drove and ferried to Long Island four Saturdays in a row, staying at our house overnight before driving to Snithtown early Sunday morning. I had the key to the back door and the alarm code as began my work.

checked through purchase orders for the past three years, noticing almost immediately that the dealership seemed to use a lot of after- market parts, much more than I thought they would. That was interesting, but not conclusive until I found the excellent records kept by the parts department manager. Once I compared the orders with what had actually been received I quickly realized what the scam amounted to.

Apparently it had started about two years ago when Mr. Akers' health first started to keep him away from the dealership. At least once each month there was a bogus purchase order for parts that were paid for, but never delivered. At roughly $5,000 a month this was a profitable scheme for those involved. The name on both the order and the payment approval was that of the general manager and all of the questionable orders were for the same dealer-Able Automotive, Inc. so there was obviously someone there who was in on the scheme. That was something that would leave to the district attorney and the Suffolk County Police.

I shared the information had with Mr. Akers and we agreed that he would take it to the authorities, but take no other action until I had taken control of the company. I doubted that these records would be missed. I knew that they were mostly held for tax purposes.

Barbara and I spent most of our spring break at our home on the bluff, inviting my family for Easter dinner. The dinner-roasted turkey with all the fixings-went well, but the best part occurred near the end when I asked Carole how she'd enjoy being an aunt The reaction from my parents and sisters was bedlam. They were all over us with hugs and kisses and there was plenty of joyful crying. Everyone stayed overnight at the bungalow except Carole who slept in one of the guest rooms with Kelly by her side.

The horrible episode with St. Claudia's had come to a sudden crashing end during the summer following freshmen year when we received a phone call from Captain Flanagan. "Good afternoon, Jack," he began. "We've had a major breakthrough in the case. Sister Mary Patrick has confessed-she said that her conscience was killing her-and there's more... a lot more. She told us that she and Sister Mary Theresa were talking in the school office late one afternoon almost twenty years ago when Moran overheard them. He threatened to expose them if they didn't cooperate."

"Oh no...tell me he didn't demand sexual favors from them."

"He did, unfortunately-oral and anal sex from Sister Mary Patrick and vaginal and oral sex from Sister Mary Theresa. We notified the Cardinal this morning and it will hit the news outlets tonight. I wanted you and Barbara to know. I anticipate your lawsuit will be settled soon, too. The Church is really embarrassed, but that will

be nothing compared to what will happen tomorrow when the

proverbial shit hits the fan." I thanked him then ended the call just minutes before expected Barbara. She was extremely relieved when she heard the news.

Capt. Flanagan's assessment had been right on. The lawsuit was settled a month later, just before the end of Summer Session II. I was studying at home with Barbara-preparing for our final exams -when Mr. Silverman phoned. Each of the plaintiffs would receive $250,000 while Stan would receive $2,000,000 for his time and expenses in pursuing the case. He told us that the owners of the jewelry had been identified and that all of it would be returned as part of the agreement. Barbara received a certified check by mail about a month later. She had already received her ring.

All three pled to reduced charges. Sister Mary Patrick pled to three counts of aggravated assault and two of grand larceny receiving a sentence of six to ten years in state prison. Sister Mary Theresa pled to three counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and another two of conspiracy to commit grand larceny with a sentence of four to seven years. Msgr. Moran pled to five counts of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, three of sexual assault, and three of sodomy. He received a sentence of ten to twelve years in a maximum security prison. All three were required to sign an agreement never to work with minors again. Barbara and I were well pleased both with the results of our prosecution and that the entire episode was behind us.

Paul and Vera lived two doors down from us with their daughter Ginny who had helped us from the start with Kelly, walking and feeding her when we couldn't get home. It was a Friday afternoon in April of my junior year when I put Kelly out. Barbara was picking up two of those three-foot Italian subs for dinner with our friends Justin and Darla. I was surprised when I looked across the lawns to see Paul apparently crying as he sat-head down in his hands- on their patio. I clipped the leash to Kelly's collar and quickly walked her over to Paul. "What's wrong, Paul? Can help in some way?"

"Thanks, Jack, but nobody can help me. I'm about to lose everything. I got laid off seven months ago. We were barely getting by and now we're so far in the hole we're going to lose the house and everything else."

"Can't you find another job? What did you do?"